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A Narratological Study and Analysis of the Concept of Time in John Dos Passos’s USA

Research Date
Research Department
Research Authors
Fouz Ahmad Mahany Abdullah
Research Journal
المجلة العلمية لکلية الآداب جامعة أسيوط
Research Member
Research Publisher
المجلة العلمية لکلية الآداب جامعة أسيوط
Research Vol
26
Research Website
https://aakj.journals.ekb.eg/
Research Year
2021
Research_Pages
417-446
Research Abstract

This research paper is primarily concerned with applying Gerard Genette’s narratological theory, mainly the concept of tense or time with its subdivisions of (order, duration, and frequency) to John Dos Passos’s trilogy U.S.A. It aims to approach the text using Genette’s framework as explained in his book, Narrative Discourse: An Essay in Method and prove that it is the suitable tool for this attempt. The three novels that make the trilogy are: The 42nd Parallel, 1919, and The Big Money. Moreover, since time is a component of narratology, this study will be concerned with discussions about ‘narratology’ and ‘narrative’, too. This paper is divided into three main sections; the first section is devoted to a background of narratology and narrative theory. The second section introduces Genette’s theory of narrative. The third section is concerned with the analysis of the trilogy in the light of Genette’s theory. The ultimate goal of this research paper is to spotlight the efficiency of Genette’s theory as an analytical tool and to illustrate how this analysis enriches the understanding of U.S.A. Keywords: Genette, Order, Duration, Frequency, U.S.A.